The present invention relates to a tool assembly for servicing and repairing skis and, more particularly, to such an assembly which, while being compact and readily portable, is capable of performing all of the operations involved in the maintenance of the running surfaces and edges of skis.
Modern skis typically have plastic faced bottom surfaces with metal strips along the lateral edges thereof. During use, these surfaces and edges become nicked and scratched, impairing the user's speed and control. In order to properly maintain skis so as to obtain good performance therefrom, a number of operations need to be performed, including sharpening of the metal edges by filing both the bottom and lateral edges of the metal strips, planing or scraping of the plastic running surface to remove excess plastic and old or excess wax, and rewaxing by applying a coating of hot wax to the running surface and polishing the coating by use of a block of cork. Numerous devices have been designed to perform one or more of these operations. Typical devices of the prior art are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,045,639; 3,136,659; 3,831,235 and 3,875,825; Austrian Pat. Nos. 102,121 and 200,485; German Pat. Nos. 463,052; 723,265 and 960,164; and Swiss Pat. Nos. 86,396; 88,916; 179,792 and 425,577. No single device is provided in the prior art, however, which is capable of performing all of the operations involved in maintaining the running surfaces and edges of skis so that it is necessary for the ski enthusiast to purchase several expensive pieces of equipment if he wishes to maintain his skis himself. Also, many of the prior art devices are large and, thus, not readily portable.
The primary object of the invention is the provision of a tool which, by the use of interchangeable elements or subassemblies, may be used to perform all of the operations required to maintain the running surfaces and edges of skis.
Another object of the invention is the provision of a ski repairing and servicing tool which is sufficiently compact as to be readily portable.
Yet another object of the invention is the provision of a ski repairing and servicing tool which is of durable construction and which may be manufactured and sold at a reasonable cost so as to be affordable by individual ski enthusiasts.